Truth's Assistant
by Wolves Run Free
Summary: An offer. A choice. A decision. Alice had always hated the strict, studious lifestyle her parents expected her to live. So when she wakes up at the Gate and is offered the chance to be Truth's assistant and wander Amestris, Alice is inclined to agree. But soon Alice realizes that nothing is given freely. In payment for her new life, Alice just might have to give up everything...
1. welcome to the gate

**.:Truth's Assistant:. **

**Chapter I**

**aka**

_welcome to the gate_

Hey, did you know?

Verity means 'truth.'

It's strange that people name their baby girl Verity, isn't it? Like Verity is supposed to be a flattering name, a beautiful name.

Don't those people realize just how ugly the truth is?

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Alice licked her fingers and slowly, deliberately, thumbed over to the next page in the heavy book that rested in her hands. She didn't raise her eyes; she didn't look around or glance over her shoulder, or peak over her book like a frightened mouse. Because she knew, she _knew_, that most of her classmates were giving her looks that just proclaimed their spite of her, the strange, quiet girl which had slipped into their domain like some kind of roach. She didn't attract attention to herself; she didn't do much at all, really, but quietly take notes or occasionally ask a question in class in this cool, level voice that seemed to tick off every other student.

"_Oh, the new girl? She's kind of strange."_

"_It ticks me off. She acts so high and mighty; two weeks she's been here and she has barely even said hi to anyone. It's like she thinks she's superior to all of us just because she's an honors student."_

"_I don't know her. I don't even recall her name. Being around her makes me kind of uneasy, though."_

The bell rang, a loud, jarring sound that made Alice finally glance up at the clock. Study time was over. She had decided to save all of her homework for later today, though, because there was at least one student at every open table. There was no point in asking to sit down with someone, anyways; the honors list was a very, very short one, and all of those kids already had friends. It wasn't that Alice thought _better_ of herself than of anyone else, it was just that she felt uncomfortable around the other students. She wanted to return to her public school, where her best friends still went just half an hour away, but her parents had been firm about the matter.

"Your grades are above and beyond, according to the tests,"Her father would contemplate over a book, his glasses perched on his nose as he studied her like he wanted to dissect her like a specimen for his work. (He was a pretty successful scientist whom studied different causes for diseases.) "We've been offered a scholarship to this very well known high school and I'm not wasting any possible chance to make you a successful scientist."

Her parents didn't get it. Had Alice ever objected, had she put up a fight and told them that _no_, she _didn't_ want to be a scientist or a mathematician or anything like that, they would have grounded her then and there, blaming her friends for putting 'whimsical ideals' in their child's head.

But… but still. Alice loved archaeology. Archaeology! Of all of the things she could have liked, her parents hated that idea the most. According to both her father AND her mother (whom was a very skilled doctor, by the way) the archaeologist industry was "a very in flux industry where you had just as much chance at actually becoming successful as winning the lottery, never mind doing something useful with your life other than digging up things that probably won't change modern science." They would ground her if they knew of her plans to get a scholarship and immediately major in history and archaeology just four years from now. They would probably disown her, sure, but she would be nineteen then. That was considered an adult, which meant she had the right to decide her own path.

But until then, she would be the quiet, obedient girl that everyone but her two best friends knew. She had to, unless she wanted to be sent to some boarding school to correct the thoughts whirling through her head. She knew she could put up the façade that everyone wanted to see. She had done it for most of her life, as soon as she understood that her parents were vain, ignorant people that mostly cared about their standing in life. Her friends had understood. They had hugged her in the rare times she was overcome with the emotions that boiled around inside her, they would pick her up dust her off, and then occasionally trip her again. They had been comfort, and relief. Katherine and Donna. Now, however, those moments where she was just herself, where she lowered her guard and lifted her face up to the sun, were gone.

"It's just four more years…" Alice whispered under her breath as she tucked her thick hardcover book under one arm and walked quickly to class. "Just four more years."

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.

"I'm home." Alice stated as she slipped into her house, pulling her headband free of her black curls. She flipped on a light and cautiously peered around the dark house. No one was there at the moment. Alice sighed, wearily climbing the stairs and gently opening the door to her purple bedroom. Her bedroom was beautiful and perfect in the way that it was _hers_; she had decided on the beautiful hues of violet on the walls and the plush orange rug that her feet sank into. There was a queen-size bed in the middle, with a desk in the corner and shelves of books lining the walls. It was, of course, very neat and tidy, but that was all that her parents needed her room to be, unlike her studies.

Alice set down her backpack and collapsed into her desk's chair, staring at the ceiling for a moment.

After a moment she sat up, turning on her laptop and turning on a random episode of Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood without looking at which episode it happened to be. She didn't really care; she had seen them all already and she couldn't spend time debating over which one to watch when she only had an hour before her parents came back home and told her to study.

The episode that happened to come on was episode 63; The Other Side of the Gateway. Alice pulled out a history book on Germany and was flipping through it while watching the show, wondering if the architecture was the same in Germany at the time as it was in Amestris. She doubted it, though; different cultures had impacts even on the way the buildings were constructed.

The episode finished with an air of finality, Hohenheim's death being the last scene of the episode. Alice shut the book gently, pausing to consider watching another episode.

"No, I should really start studying for that test in mathematics tomorrow," she mused softly. "I need to get another high score to keep my GPA up."

Alice tried to click out of the movie player, but her computer seemed to have frozen. _Oh no, it can't be broken, can it?_ Alice worried, thinking about her homework projects on the device. She tried to shut the computer down, but still, nothing happened. Alice bit her lip. "It's broken," she muttered, wringing her hands into her purple hoodie. "I'm going to do poorly on that essay, aren't I?"

The screen seemed to flicker, and Alice leaned forwards excitedly. Then the screen went completely black, a faint clicking sound coming from the dead electronic.

"…"

Alice stared blankly at her computer before trying to turn it back on. The computer didn't obey. Instead, four words slowly appeared on the screen, written in white, swirling letters.

"**Welcome to the Gate"**

Alice stared blankly at the screen before sighing. It must be a virus. Maybe if Alice showed that weird message to her parents they could call a repairman tomorrow, but she doubted they could fix it until after her papers were due. Suddenly she yawned, feeling unusually weary after the long, hard day, like she had taken a sleep pill. Before she could think about the studying and homework she needed to do, she lurched over to her bed and collapsed on it, falling fast asleep.

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A blank sheet of paper, unmarked by the slightest stroke of a pen or pencil. That was the thing that the scene in front of Alice reminded her of.

Alice's eyes traveled around her surroundings, and her lips tilted downwards into a puzzled frown. "What… was I… studying? No, that can't be right." Alice chewed on her lip again and glanced around. There really wasn't anything but white in every direction. Even the floor was a solid, pure white, unmarked by muddy shoes or animal hair.

"**Yo."** A voice, speaking in a smug certainty that caused a shiver to run up and down Alice's spine, caused her to freeze and spin around. The voice had an echoing quality, like she and her mom and her two best friends had said the same thing at once down a pipe or something. It was peculiar that was for sure. The owner of the voice was just as peculiar as its voice itself, being a pure white figure with a black outline. The only feature on its face was an eerie smile, and it was comfortably sitting on the white ground. Alice wasn't sure about its gender, but its body looked feminine. No, wait. Its body looked liker _hers._ Was that some kind of strange coincidence?

Suddenly all of the information clicked.

Oh. _Oh._

This was a dream about the Truth in Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood, wasn't it?

If it was, then Alice didn't see any reason to worry. She dreamed quite a bit, although her dreams were commonly about wandering through an old building like a pyramid or coliseum. Still, if she had fallen asleep after watching Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood…

"I'm going to flunk that test, aren't I?" Alice said dejectedly, wringing her hands together again.

"**Not necessarily." **Truth said, standing up and strolling over to where Alice stood. She couldn't help but take a step back; even in a dream, the creature was more than a little unnerving. Truth flashed her an all-white smile, with teeth that were too white to be human. **"Who said you had to take that test, anyways?"**

"You're a dream. I'm not," Alice said, forcing her hands to her sides and clenching them. It felt warm and solid, like she was actually doing it. That was a little strange. "I'm bound to laws of physics when I wake up and can't just do all of my work for the day in an hour or two!"

"**Who said you would ever wake up?" **Truth grinned at Alice again, laughter coming from its mouth. **"In fact, who ever said you fell asleep?"**

"Well, the laws of nature prove that Fullmetal Alchemist is a fake show, so my evidence _is_ kind of obvious. It's strange though, normally I'm not aware that it's a dream when I'm actually dreaming, nor can I feel everything so clearly." Alice murmured, glancing behind her where she knew the Gate was located. It was quite large, actually; how had she missed it earlier? It was all black, with strange circles and writing all over it's surface. She didn't understand any of it, so she turned her gaze back on the creepy person. "So, Truth, why are you here?"

"**You know more than most people that I normally deal with, huh?"** Truth somehow looked disappointed that he couldn't give his introduction to Alice, and she frowned. It was such a peculiar person that she had no idea how to deal with it. Its personality was erratic, and she couldn't help but feel unafraid of it the longer she was here. **"Tell me this, Alice. You don't like your life at this point, and only have the future to look forwards to, isn't that right?"**

"Why do you care?" Alice asked, backing up and bumping into the massive Gate. "We don't need to talk about this. I just need to wake up, it's as simple as that."

"**Foolish girl. If you don't want to listen to me, then pay your toll and you can go back to your boring life." **Truth said, its friendly demeanor gone. **"And trust me when I say that this isn't a dream. You got here by falling asleep, yes, but you woke up the second you arrived."**

"What?" Alice stared at Truth for a moment. "No, there's nothing scientific about that…"

"**Don't you hate science, though?"**

"No, actually. I get that it's important, but I don't like studying it or being forced into it as my life's work. So I don't want to study or practice science, but it's reassuring to know that there are rules for the world to follow!"

"**Then why not take a new set of scientific laws, then? This way, you'll have the chance to accomplish whatever you want to do, and you would mostly have free reign of your own life. You wouldn't have to go to school, and you could go into the world you love so much while still knowing that science is relevant."** Truth stated, and Alice had the feeling the being was watching her even without eyes.

_What? _"So you mean… I could go to Amestris? I don't have to grow up and be a scientist or mathematician?" Alice considered this for a moment. She could leave her parents, and they couldn't drag her back to them. She could travel Amestris, and even meet Winry, Ed, and Al. But… it was such a huge risk. "Thanks, but no thanks." Alice said, frowning. "I know what to expect and how to get through my life, but just suddenly dropping into another world? I'd never see my friends again, no matter what, plus I would probably be killed the second I talked to someone."

"**Like you have the chance of just bumping into your friends as you are? You've stopped your growth, stopped reaching for anything but a distant dream which you haven't even thought through very well."** Truth chastised her, and Alice forced herself to keep her face blank to hide the emotions going through her. **"All right. If that's what you really want, you can pay me your toll and go back home."**

"Toll? You mentioned that before, but what toll?" Alice asked, struggling to maintain her usual cool tone that she took on as she thought about what had happened to everyone else who had stood before Truth. "Do you mean… a body part, like an arm or leg?" _Or worse?_

Truth laughed. It was a bitter, ugly sound all of a sudden, and Alice suddenly realized that this confident cruelty was exactly why she should be afraid of the creature. **"It's fair equivalent exchange, isn't it? I gave you a chance, and you pay for that chance and the journey here and back."**

"But I didn't ask to come here. I didn't accept that chance," Alice whispered in horror, trapped between Truth and the Gate. She took a deep breath. _I have to figure some way out of this. Some way…_ "Your offer to go to Amestris. Do I have to pay a toll to go there as well?"

"**Only if you consider it a toll. Instead of taking something to burden you as a reminder of your sin, I would make you stronger and give you a fighting chance. Your payment would be to become my assistant instead."** Truth motioned at Alice, its gestures asking if she wanted to sit down on the white ground.

Alice did, but there was still hesitance in her movements. "Assistant? Why would you need an assistant? I thought you watched over the universe and regulated all of alchemy. What could I possibly help with?"

"**I can only glimpse into the world whenever someone uses alchemy," **Truth explained casually, sensing that Alice was interested. **"Besides, having you as my eyes and ears would be quite interesting. I can never leave the Gates, of course, so once in a while I make this offer to people from your world. Your Gates are… unique compared to the alchemists and residents of Amestris and their surrounding countries, and while you could never harness alchemy you **_**can**_** tap into all of the Gate's powers instead. In short, you and I can gain something by helping each other. Equivalent exchange, see?"**

"I think so." Alice rubbed her arm and frowned. She took another breath, thinking. She had always been a pretty decent actor. She could fool everyone into thinking she was just a normal person if she went. And the risks were worse if she returned home without eyesight or a leg, after all. "How long would I help you out?"

"**Until we decide that we are no longer of use to each other or you die. If it's the later, you'll wake up here and we can consider a new arrangement." **Truth grinned, a sinister smile that Alice made sure not to react to.

"How long do your… assistants normally work for you?" Alice asked cautiously. She wanted to make sure she knew what she was getting into before agreeing to anything!

"**Until they die, most of the time."** There was finality in the words, and Alice wondered if they hadn't lasted long or if they had actually enjoyed the job. **"So. Are you in agreement, girl?" **Truth stood up, and turned to stuck out a white hand for a handshake to seal their contract.

Alice stared at it for a long moment, considering everything for a long slow moment, before she hesitantly reached out and grasped the ice-cold limb. Truth started to laugh, and a familiar creaking sound made Alice slowly turn around to face the opening Gate. A large, blood-shot eye opened, and black hands crept out, searching for her like a dog on a scent. Finding their target, they raced forwards, circling Alice's body tightly and dragging her forwards. Alice didn't resist. Why would she? This was what she had decided, and she would stick with it. Then she was inside the Gate, entering inky blackness.

After a moment, trails of white, like a roll of pictures, flashed by of Amestris and its world. Alice didn't know how she knew that; she just did, and realized that her head had started to hurt. Information on Amestris, on alchemy, on _everything_ started to pour into her thoughts and Alice started to scream. It was even more painful then she had expected, like someone was ramming a hammer into her head. The imaged whirled past her, faster and faster, and still the black shadows kept a grip on her.

Alice was pulled deeper and deeper into the information until she started to see spots in her vision and her voice was screamed raw. She scrabbled to hold onto her conscious thoughts for a moment before letting go and being enveloped into a comforting darkness without pain.

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It was the cold rain that woke Alice up. The rain was strong enough to have a certain sting to it as it her skin, and Alice was already soaked and muddy by the time she had woken up, which was like flipping a switch: there was no grogginess or slowly coming to, there was only asleep and awake, nothing else now.

A quick scan of the area showed trees in every direction with little to no signs of civilization, which Alice wasn't sure of that was a good or bad thing. After all, she needed help, but it was better to get used to everything in private first. "I guess I'm on my own, then." Alice said, reaching up to scratch her cheek that had started to itch. Surprisingly, it only felt like she had only rubbed my skin where it had itched. _What happened to my fingernails?_ Alice wondered, and glanced down at her hand.

"This is…" Alice stared at her hand in shock. Her hand was entirely white, with a black aura surrounding it. It was exactly like how Truth had appeared to her. "What is this?!" She gasped, scrambling to her feet. Alice quickly felt her face and head; she only had a mouth and her ears. There was no hair, no eyes, not even a _nose_ on her smooth face. Despite this, she could see and smell everything like usual, except that she didn't have to blink. A quick scan showed that her entire body was like that, except that she was still wearing her purple hoodie, jeans, and boots.

A familiar voice made Alice jump. **"Surprised?" **Truth asked in amusement, his voice eerily echoing in Alice's head.

"What. Did. You. Do?!" Alice asked shakily, looking around.

"**Did you think feinting was normal in the Gate? I told you; I would make you stronger and better equipped. I can't just enter your normal head to talk to you like this or watch what's going on. It's- hold on, someone just transmuted a blade from iron ore."** Truth said, and its voice became distant from Alice's head for a moment before speaking again a second later. **"I stored your body in the Gate and gave you a brand new, better one. Like it?" **

Alice opened her mouth before pausing and shutting it again. Since she couldn't think of how to calmly answer that, so she just spoke what was running through her head for once. "Are you insane? I don't want to be like this! If anyone sees me, they'll freak out, and I liked being able to look in a mirror and not be freaked out every time. What's so good about this body?"

**"It lets me talk to you this way, for one," **Truth informed her in amusement.** "It also has a Philosopher's Stone at its core, so you won't die so easily and make me find a new assistant anytime soon. Plus, it amplifies your ability to access the Gates."**

Alice calmed down a little; forcing a calm look on her face even though she doubted Truth would see her. (With such a featureless face, it wasn't hard at all.) "Why didn't you mention these things earlier?"

"**You didn't ask, therefore it was irrelevant to the matter at hand."**

Alice sighed. "Fine, then. What about my real body? Will it decay without nutrients and sleep? And what about these abilities you keep talking about?"

Truth replied, his voice carrying a smug lilt to his words. **"No, you're still linked to your real body. Because of this, unless you decide to dispose of it and just stay my assistant, you'll still need to eat and sleep although a lot less than you used to require."**

Alice nodded her head slowly, thoughts flowing through her head. "Okay. So I can still get my body back eventually."

"**You could right now."**

"What?" Alice asked, looking up at the sky a little as a small smile touched her lips. "Really? How do I do that?"

"**It's one of the two things you can do by accessing the Gates. The first is that you can use your real body for about one hour every day. With time, you could probably learn to hold it for longer. You can do the same with any foolish alchemist who has crossed into my domain if you touch them; for instance, the arm and leg of Edward Elric could be yours for thirty minutes a day. It's less time than your own body because the connection isn't as strong between you and that person's Gate."**

Alice considered the being's words and blinked. "You know that I know who Edward is?"

"**I'm Truth. Do I need to cover what else I am? The universe, "god," the world, and you. You shouldn't be surprised."** Truth laughed, rehearsing its favorite lines. **"Your second ability is accessing the gate as if performing alchemy from seeing 'the truth;' you can jump into the Gate and direct yourself across this world only. This ability won't be precise at first, though, nor will it always work so I wouldn't steadily rely on that for a year or so. Plus, it's extraordinarily painful to use and consumes your Philosopher's Stone's energy, so I wouldn't use it that often."**

"Good to know." Alice sighed, and wondered how to transform into herself. After a moment's thought and several failed attempts at saying words that sounded like they were from Harry Potter, she tried to envision the Gate and imagined it opening to expose her. Her slightly tan skin, her short curly black hair… red sparks softly crackled over her and she lifted up her hand to examine her normal, real hand. "It seems you weren't lying, then. Where do the Philosopher's ingredients come from?"

"**Those that saw the whole truth and paid for it with their whole bodies get stuck in the Gate. What else was I supposed to do with those idiots? They didn't all get pulled back to be bonded into armor." **Truth told her, and Alice decided that there could have been worse answers on that subject. **"By the way, I would switch back unless you want to waste all of your time in that form today."**

"All right." Alice pictured her Gate closing, leaving the body inside. She felt the strange flow of power and knew that it had worked. "Anything else I need to know, by the way?"

"**Just on thing."** Truth explained, ignoring the slight accusing tone in Alice's voice. **"While you're my assistant, your name will be Verity. It means truth, so I thought it would be a good fit, right?"**

Alice almost asked why she needed a new name, but realized she didn't really care. Besides, her parents had given her that name, and she had left them behind. She was starting a new life today, had started it with a handshake to a supernatural being. She didn't want to be dragged down by doubts and reminders to her old life. "Verity it is." she declared, and with that, she took her first step in the new world that was just waiting for her to explore.

* * *

**-Authors Note-**

**Hey everyone! So, after my last fanfiction with solely canon characters, I decided to do one of those classic 'fangirl in Amestris' stories, because they just look like a lot of fun. This particular one was a bit hard to write; I had to go through **_**three**_** rough drafts before being satisfied with both the story's flow and the main character. Alice is a lot different than me and I have no show to watch and see if I was getting her right, so she was a little hard to write, oops. Oh well, its good practice! Please feel free to tell me if she seems like a Mary-Sue. I would much rather be told in advance so I could correct the issues at hand than have a terrible story, I promise I don't bite. ;)**

**I wanted to do a male OC, but I'm afraid that I don't have enough practice at guys yet to attempt one in such a difficult story for me. I'm sorry, I know some of you guys would really like to have one as a protagonist. **

**I'm just going to mention this here and now instead of in every chapter, but I only own the plot and Alice. I don't own FMAB and such, and this won't change throughout the story (what, you think the author is going to be writing **_**fan**_**fiction on here? XD).**

**I don't know how often I'll update this story, as these chapters are even longer than my last story and this is a much harder concept to write about. I started this while working on my other story, Shadows of Pride, which I'm almost done with so it might take me about a week and a half to get a chapter done for this at the moment. I promise I'll try my absolute best to update, though!**

**Please read and review, as always it means a ton and helps me grow as a writer. Thanks a bunch! **


	2. hit the ground running

**.:Truth's Assistant:.**

**Chapter II**

**aka**

_hit the ground running_

The sun was finally beginning to show itself, much to Verity's relief. Her clothes were soaked through, clinging uncomfortably to her skin. Something that had come as a surprise to her was that everything looked like it had in the anime: the colors were simplified and everything had sharper edges to them, like a strange mix of reality and the anime show. Truth had mostly been silent, either busy doing whatever it did in its free time or just watching everything from Verity's perspective. It was a somewhat creepy thought, and the realization that someone could see anything she did from this point on was more than a little unnerving.

The scent of smoke and soft murmur of people snapped Verity out of her thoughts, and she paused, slipping into the shadows of the trees as she observed three little boys screeching and dashing throughout the forest.

"Come on, Tally is gonna kill us If we're late for dinner again!" One shouted, slowing down and looking anxiously over his shoulder. He had wide eyes that peered around the forest nervously, the dancing patches of light that had reached the forest floor falling across his face.

Another kid, this one a lot taller and was standing almost five feet away from Verity, skidded to a halt and frowned. "Already? But we just got this far!"

"Dinner should be soon, though." The last kid murmured, looking up at the sun. "I don't want to miss it for the second night in a row!"

The others reluctantly agreed, all three of them vanishing back the way they had come. Verity pulled her purple hood up, thinking. _There must be a town nearby,_ she decided, walking in the same direction the kids had gone. _I'll need some food eventually, and a bed. It would be bad for people to see my face or hands as well… maybe I should dress like Lan Fan, then? A mask and some gloves would fix that problem, although it might look a bit strange..._

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It took about a full twenty minutes to walk to the city. The trees stopped quite suddenly, surrounding the edges of two sides of the city. It looked like an ordinary city, neither as large as Central or as small as Risembool. The buildings looked to be about one to three stories each, and Verity swiftly accessed her gate and turned back into herself before running forwards, entering the city and swiftly looking for someone to ask where she could shop… she only had one hour before her time was up and she would be forced to transform back.

The first person she spotted was a young woman with brown hair, maybe in her twenties. Verity strolled up to her, forcing herself to walk despite her haste. Now that she was close to someone, the fact that they looked straight from the anime was a little strange, but Verity kept her voice level and calm. The woman looked at her a little uneasily and said something in another language. Verity was surprised, but realized that it was probably Amestrian, which she had picked up from her awful experience in the Gate. So that must mean the woman had asked what she wanted. "Oh, I'm sorry, but do you know where the shops are?" She inquired, switching her language to Amestrian and tugging on her purple hoodie.

The woman suddenly smiled, nodding as the uneasiness vanished from her face. "Oh, sure. It's straight down this road and then left," she offered, looking Verity up and down. "Why? Are you lost?"

Verity almost blurted out that she had lost her friends, but then she paused. She had no money and she didn't even know where she was. What kind of explanation… Verity blinked, and then looked down, letting her hair fall into her eyes. "W-well," She muttered, allowing her fingers to obviously fidget. "K-kind of. These strange people kidnapped me, I think, because the last thing I remember is being knocked out and waking up in their car. I just managed to slip out of their car by climbing out the window when one of them wasn't looking. I don't have any money and they'll be looking for me… please help me, I'm really s-scared and don't know where I am."

The woman stiffened, glancing around nervously. "Oh, you poor girl," she murmured, grasping Verity's hands. "Don't worry, I'll help you. My name is Rachel, and you're in New Optain, about a day's travel by train from Central. Er… you're not from Amestris, right? You have a slight accent, from the sound of it."

Verity allowed herself to look dismayed, although she was starting to feel a little guilty for lying to this kind woman. But she had to do it, simple as that. "Amestris? No, I… I'm from Creta… but I can't go back there, either. The war k-killed everyone…" Verity stammered, struggling to recall everything she knew about the battle over there. She bit her lip again, deciding to get this over with. "L-look, can you buy me a mask or something? I have to hide my face, or they'll see me. And um, maybe a different outfit? This one stands out too much…"

Rachel nodded, understanding and determination in her eyes. "Got it. Come on, I'm guessing the sooner the better you blend in, the better, right? Don't worry, you can stay with me for now… how old are you, fourteen, fifteen? It's the least I can do…"

"Thank you…" Verity offered lamely, feeling like a jerk. It was one thing to insult, deceive, or ignore people who were cruel and judgmental, but this woman seemed extraordinarily kind and loving. "My name's Al- erm, Verity, by the way. I wish I could repay you for this somehow…"

"No, no, don't worry about it. I'm guessing that you don't want me to contact the military about this, right?" Verity nodded, and Rachel smiled reassuringly before redoing her ponytail. "Now come on, let's go shopping. I don't have a daughter, so this should be a lot of fun! Besides, y'know the risk of being killed or kidnapped," Rachel teased, and Verity nodded again, confused at how calm and accepting this woman was of her.

As the two woman (well, one was a woman and the other was some kind of gate monster, but the point still stands) hurried towards the stores, bystanders seemed to stare at the tall girl with black hair as she walked next to Rachel. It was a similar experience as to what Verity had experienced at her school, and she couldn't help but wonder what was causing everyone to act so weary of her all of a sudden. Come to think of it, even Rachel had seemed nervous of her when she had first approached.

"**That's because they can sense something unnatural about you, since you have such a strong link to the Gate,"** A voice offered, and Verity shook her head ever so slightly as she murmured under her breath. **"Normal people can sense it too, but alchemists and alkahestriests will be more than a little nervous of you."**

"It's just one side effect after another, isn't it," she muttered darkly, sighing. Oh well. Rachel seemed fine after getting used to her, so maybe the feeling passed after a moment. Or maybe Rachel was just incredibly sweet to lost and/or kidnapped children. "So why have you been silent for so long?"

"What?" Rachel asked, looking down at Verity. Rachel was somewhat short for an adult, and Verity was actually decently tall for her age, so the height difference was only an inch or two.

Verity averted her gaze, shrugging. "Nothing, I was just worried…" She muttered, trying to shrug off any feelings of guilt remaining.

Truth snickered at her attempts to lie, and then replied. **"You're job is to make sure everything goes as it is destined to be, whether it's the silly cartoon your world has or another way,"** Truth said thoughtfully, its voice suddenly serious. **"If I'm constantly offering advice, then you wouldn't get the freedom I promised, I would consider that cheating, **_**and**_** it wouldn't be any fun for myself to watch. So don't expect my wisdom to be bestowed upon you too often."**

Despite Truth's attempts to be serious, Verity tried not to shake her head in slight amusement and frustration. Truth actually used words like _bestowed?_ Well, that was a new one. But what Truth said was… well, it was true. Verity didn't want to be told how to spend her life here, so she supposed everything would work out in the end. But how the heck was she going to know this world's 'destiny' if it wasn't going to end like the show? Or would it? Verity sighed, grimacing. "My head hurts," she said tiredly, and Rachel sympathetically nodded.

"I get it. Come on, let's get you some clothes then," she said, pulling Verity into a store. "You're lucky, because the city is holding a festival tonight!"

Verity blinked, looking around at the many choices of clothing. "What does a festival have to do with anything?"

"Oh, you know, lots of cute guys, romance under the fireworks, pop corn, plays…" Rachel trailed off at the skeptical look on Verity's face and laughed. "Oh, I'm kidding, kidding. They sell a lot of masks today so you should be able to find one that you like."

"Really?" Verity muttered, glancing around the store reservedly. How long did she have left? Maybe thirty minutes for the day?

Rachel grabbed Verity's arm, tugging her towards a small room in the back. "All right, I'll grab some things for you to try on and you wait in here," she commanded, pushing Verity into the room and shutting the door. "To hide your unusually pale skin color, long sleeves would be best," Verity heard her muse, as her voice grew distant.

Verity didn't like how Rachel hadn't asked her for her opinion, and bit her lip. Maybe Rachel _wasn't _the best person to ask for help. But still, not many people would take her in like this and give her clothing, so Verity decided that it was all right. She had no one else (but creepy Truth, but who was going to ask him for money? She would probably have to give an arm and a leg to pay that creepy creature back.) so until she could afford a train ticket, she might as well just stay with the woman.

The curtain swished back, and Rachel entered, carrying some white and black clothing. "I guessed on your sizes, but I think I got it right since we look about the same height," Rachel offered, handing Verity the clothing. "I'll be just outside if you need me, fending of any attackers with my masterful fighting skills." With a wink and a grin, Rachel pulled the curtain shut, not expecting the quiet girl to answer.

"Thank you." Verity quickly changed before looking into the mirror. Everything fit very well, actually. She had a white tank top with black flowers at the bottom left corner of the front, with the new hoodie that went on top being white on the back and chest, but the arms and actual hood part were a grayish black. The pants were also white and black, but they were white in the front and black in the back. Lastly, Rachel had given her black boots to replace her brown ones, but these looked ready for combat, with straps and buckles covering them. "Black and white, huh? That's kind of creepy for her to guess those colors, but it looks… really cool." Deciding she liked the outfit and not wanting to wait for Truth to make some comment on how she 'looked the part,' Verity pushed the curtain open and walked out clutching her old clothes. She was hesitant to part with the familiar objects, so she decided to ask to get a backpack as soon as she could.

"Wow! Now I'll have to fend any guys off with a stick," Rachel said in delight, but Verity just gave her a weak smile, nodding as she thought about her time limit. "Can I… can I get three pairs of the pants and shirt?"

"Of the same thing? You're sure?" Rachel asked in surprise. When Verity nodded, Rachel blinked, and then smiled. "Sure, Verity."

The next fifteen minutes involved Rachel dragging Verity around town, buying her a black belt that was little more than small pouches for holding things sewn together. On top of this, Verity got a black backpack, black long gloves, and a white mask with a purple 'X' across the face.

"You look adorable!" Rachel assured Verity, grinning in delight. "I told you the black and white theme wouldn't be overkill. Now, come on, let's go to my house and stay out of sight for a while; we can come enjoy the festival when it's dark out."

"**Verity, your time is up."** Truth pointed out, and she realized that she was feeling exhausted as she tried harder and harder to hold her form. Flipping her hood up and pulling it down over her eyes, Verity allowed herself to change back. Rachel shifted uncomfortably beside her, unconsciously aware of the strange being, but seemed to ignore it as she pulled Verity after her, chattering about the festival and the town as she showed Verity her small apartment in the center of the town.

.

.

.

Rachel's house was actually a small apartment, with about four rooms; the bathroom, the kitchen/main room, a bedroom, and a work space/washing room. Verity had hesitantly dropped her backpack onto the couch, looking around the plain room.

"It's just the right size for me," Rachel defended the unspoken thought, and strolling across the room to the kitchen. "Do you want anything to eat?"

Verity considered the question, and then nodded. "Yes, please. I haven't eaten for hours. I'm going to use the bathroom really quick." Verity ducked away from the woman's glance, and quickly figured which of the rooms was the toilet. Of course, Verity didn't really need to go. She just wanted some time herself.

Shutting the door softly and making sure it locked, Verity sighed and pulled the hoodie off, taking off the gloves and studying herself in the mirror. It was creepy, actually, to see the black mist that surrounded her. She couldn't see her mouth anymore, so she opened her mouth to wiggle her tongue, somewhat disturbed at how the large grin appeared from nowhere. She rubbed her face with a hand, scowling at her hand when she realized that her skin was ice-cold. If someone saw her like this, what should she say? The truth? She could always lie, of course, saying that she was _the_ Truth and had more power than she was currently stuck with. Or she could tell the real truth about herself and possibly get kidnapped/arrested/put in a cage for studying. No thanks.

Truth had told her to make sure she helped everything follow its 'destiny.' Did that mean she shouldn't interfere and should just stay away from everyone? Since she wasn't supposed to be here, it would be her fault for interfering, wouldn't it? But what if the whole story line was messed up anyways and she needed to fix it from the start?

"I wonder… could I save Hughes or Nina if I wanted to?" Verity pondered, thinking. "It would depend, I guess. I don't know either of them well enough in real life to risk my lives yet, right? Besides, both of them were important to the eventual defeat of Father. Nina helped Ed understand that he was just human so he could give up his alchemy, and Hughes led to the defeat of the person who started the Ishbalen massacre. I… I don't think I should try and save anyone, actually. That would make the most sense, wouldn't it?" Verity sighed, staring at her reflection and trying not to consider herself as Truth. It was cold-hearted of her not to try and save anyone, of course, but she had to look at it logically. For now, at least, she wouldn't plan on saving anyone who had died as a character in Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood. She didn't need to; her favorite characters had been Riza and Alphonse Elric. Neither of them had died, and although the entire Nina thing had been sad, Verity would probably be too late anyways, no matter what she did. She had no one important enough to die for, that was the only thing Verity could truthfully say.

_But what if that changes?_

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The fireworks exploded in the sky overhead, looking like a brilliant blooming flower of sparks. Rachel was somewhere in town, dancing with her friends and enjoying the loud, lively music, but Verity had decided to slip into the forest and think for a while after eating an awkward dinner with Rachel and starting to feel uncomfortable around the woman she had lied to so easily for her help. It had shocked her how easily lying had come to her like that, and Verity had the bad feeling she would keep doing it to everyone she met from now on.

"Day one," Verity sighed, leaning against a tree, rubbing the spot where her eyes should have been peeking out from the mask on her face. "It's… not that different here. I wonder… do Mother and Father miss me? What about… what about Donna and Katherine?" Verity fell silent, tilting her 'face' towards the night sky. The moon was out, the stars sparkling around it brighter than in her world of 2013. There was less pollution here than home, Verity guessed. But where was home for her now? The Gate? The house back in her own world? Or somewhere in this world that she hadn't been to yet? Suddenly, her earlier doubts came rushing back in the darkness, and Verity's breath stopped in her throat as dark thoughts started plaguing her.

Perhaps she had made some terrible, horrible mistake. What was she even doing here? She didn't know how to fight; she couldn't even learn alchemy! She would have to keep what she was a secret, which could get complicated quickly. But what _was_ she? Not a human anymore, that much was certain. Definably not a chimera, and homunculus didn't seem right, either, although it was a closer match than 'human.' Verity _hoped_ it wasn't a homunculus; every last one of those creatures seemed like cruel, sadistic people she should stay as far away from as possible.

"**Are you having regrets?"** A voice said suddenly, and Verity jumped in surprise.

"Oh. You're listening, then." Verity tugged on her new hoodie, sighing. "I'm… I'm truthfully a little scared. What you said earlier... Does keeping an eye on things mean I have to throw myself into the insanity that's going to happen to Amestris? Or has it already happened?"

Truth hesitated, and then thoughtfully replied. **"That's the just of it. If you hid yourself away in this city, I wouldn't have any need for you after all, like I said before." **

"…I see." Verity would have closed her eyes, but she couldn't. She would have cried from fear and worry, but she… she couldn't. Where would the tears fall? What good would they do her? No one could know. No one could understand. "Am I… Am I a homunculus now?"

"**Definably not,"** Truth muttered, sounding annoyed. **"I suppose your body has similar qualities, but that's all. I wouldn't create such strange things, anyways; only those that want for power create homunculi. Not to mention that they all step into **_**my**_** domain to do it."**

"I… I don't think you chose the right person for this," Verity said hesitantly. "I'm going to get myself killed. I'm going to let everyone I meet down. I'm not some protégée or anything remotely like that!"

"**A deal is a deal." **

"B-but-"

"**Equivalent Exchange, Verity. Do you think I'm going to give the stupid humans who've trespassed in my domain they're payments back for free? You haven't even started paying your toll, while I've completed my end of our agreement."**

Verity shuddered, and buried her head in her arms as she whimpered. "I know. I'm s-sorry, Truth, I just… I'll collect myself and get my emotions back under control, all right? I don't think I can do what you ask, but I don't r-really have a c-choice right now." Verity fell silent, unwilling to move or talk anymore. Where were Donna and Katherine when she needed them…?

Verity suddenly clenched her fists and looked up. This was stupid and ridiculous. She stood up, gritting her teeth together and looking out into the city. There wasn't _anything_ she could gain from this pity party she was throwing, not to mention the fact that Truth was watching it all. Surely she could survive… she knew all of the main plot points, so she should have a slight advantage, knowing when to get away or stay and watch for Truth. And as for fighting… "I'll head to Dublith." Verity decided, thinking. Sure, she couldn't learn alchemy, but Izumi seemed like a good martial artist teacher as well.

Even if she was even scarier than some of the homunculi.

* * *

**-Author's Comment-**

**These chapters take forever to write. I don't know why, the character is just a bit harder to write for me so far, oops. I've decided to update this whenever I get inspiration, but I should update more often than normal in the next month because I'm taking a break from any other stories. **

**I have a rough outline for where this story is going next, and the next chapter is going to include a fight scene! And **_**not**_** with Izumi, there's going to be some… trouble for poor Verity, who didn't learn any fighting skills in her entire life. **

**If you guys aren't familiar with my other story, be warned: I adore writing angst.**

** Just, y'know, a warning. **

**Thanks so much for reading! Please review! **


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